Did you happen to read about the Australian computer programmer who clamed he found Neil Armstrong’s missing "a"?

It sounded like a segment from "Sesame Street." I double-checked to make sure the programmer’s name wasn’t Cookie Monster.

I really did imagine that the "a" was probably the "A" on Armstrong’s moon suit, and that it had somehow fallen off and for 37 years floated through space. Later I learned that the missing "a" was actually that verbal "a" that was supposed to have been uttered between "for" and "man," making Armstrong’s famous "One small step for (a) man ..." statement grammatically correct.

Did you know that it wasn’t grammatically correct? I sure didn’t. I blame my ignorance on all those darn Tarzan movies I watched growing up. I didn’t even know verbs existed until I turned 14. That not good.

This is the power of the spoken word, that 37 years after the fact, scientists are utilizing time and expensive recording technology to closely analyze the use of a single letter of the alphabet.

A word is like a newborn child: once it’s out there, you can’t put it back. That’s why when Bishop Gilmore told children at St. Dominic School a month ago to speak words of gold – words of God – we best all pay attention.

A few months ago, words spoken by Pope Benedict caused a bit up an uproar in the fundamentalist Islam community. In referencing the quote from Emperor Manuel II Paleologus, the pope was contending that the separation of faith and reason had made the world a much more dangerous place to live. I strongly agree. And it’s certainly not a problem confined to fundamentalist Islam.

Here’s hoping that one day faith and reason in all parts of the world will set their differences aside and move back in together, if not just for the kids’ sake.

Now, I don’t like to pick on President Bush and his verbal faux pas, primarily because my own lack of verbal skills makes him look like a British barrister. But when he referred to Iran, North Korea, and Iraq as the Axis of Evil, I felt like I was suddenly transported back to the Cold War era. Why utter words that are only going to inflame angry passions and give people even more resolve to hate? But then I learned that he also had named his third grade teacher, Mrs. Richter, his mailman, and the lovable skunk, Pepe LaPew, to the Axis of Evil. Seems the president hadn’t slept well the night before, that’s all. He was in a mood. Could happen to anyone. (Turns out, his mailman was the only one who was actually evil. Ironically, he was voted president of North Korea two months later.)

It’s amazing how a few words — a few sound waves emitted by the mouth and bouncing up against the ear drum — can cause the damage they do. Can you imagine if the same truth in advertising that applies to drugs were applied to certain of our politicians? You’d see presidential hopeful (insert name here), greeting miners, or speaking with a group of out-of-work pastry chefs, when you’d hear that familiar rapid fire disclaimer: "Voting for Joe Schmoe may cause headache, stomach ache and/or international conflicts. Do not vote for Joe Schmoe if you are pregnant, hoping to become pregnant, or think that pregnancy was one of God’s better ideas. While Joe Schmoe is known for lowering taxes, if elected, voters are warned to avoid earning less than $150,000 per year."

But, of course it’s not all presidents, popes, and astronauts. There are words we all use that can and do get us into serious trouble. For example, some 25 years ago, I whispered to my then girlfriend, "I love you." What I meant was that I loved her the same way I loved my goldfish, Jethro. But did she take it that way? Nooooooo. Boy, that was a rough afternoon. Especially since she had no idea who Jethro was.

It’s ironic that God has allowed me to become a writer, when my verbal skills are lacking. It’s a problem at meetings, social gatherings, and any time a good looking woman talks to me, at which point my voice converts to that of Herve Villechaize from "Fantasy Island".

I think that when we’re asked to speak words of gold, what we’re really being asked is to fill ourselves with God’s word (AKA "Christ," "love," "truth") so that we, like St. John Chrysostom, can’t help but speak the words of God -- words of gold.

So, I may not be a great speaker. But I am a good listener. And sometimes, when I just can’t call to mind the appropriate words, I stop and listen to what God is saying to me.